Impacts of Microfinance Activities on Social Capital Development Regarding the Relationships between Members of Village Savings and Loans Associations

The study indicated impact of microfinance activities with Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) to community’s social capital development. Based on the responds of 356 members have been participating in the VSLAs (questionnaire and in-depth interviews), there has been a progression in social capital regarding members’ relationships proving the changes in members and their social relationship as well as the trust among them after joining the VSLAs. One of the unique and significant findings was the different ways and levels of trust among the members. The important of this finding is it emphasized how the social impact can effectively benefit the subjects of social welfare policies. The study also proposed solutions to promote the activities of VSLAs and develop social toward sustainable community developmen

Role of septins in microbial infection.

Septins are widely recognized as a component of the cytoskeleton that is essential for cell division, and new work has shown that septins can recognise cell shape by assembling into filaments on membrane regions that display micrometer-scale curvature (e.g. at the cytokinetic furrow). Moreover, infection biology studies have illuminated important roles for septins in mediating the outcome of host-microbe interactions. In this Review, we discuss a selection of mechanistic insights recently gained from studying three infection paradigms: the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, the poxvirus family member vaccinia virus and the Gram-negative bacterium Shigella flexneri These studies have respectively discovered that higher-order septin assemblies enable fungal invasion into plant cells, entrap viral particles at the plasma membrane and recognize dividing bacterial cells for delivery to lysosomes. Collectively, these insights illustrate how studying septin biology during microbial infection can provide fundamental advances in both cell and infection biology, and suggest new concepts underlying infection control

Septins promote caspase activity and coordinate mitochondrial apoptosis

Apoptosis is a form of regulated cell death essential for tissue homeostasis and embryonic development. Apoptosis also plays a key role during bacterial infection, yet some intracellular bacterial pathogens (such as Shigella flexneri, whose lipopolysaccharide can block apoptosis) can manipulate cell death programs as an important survival strategy. Septins are a component of the cytoskeleton essential for mitochondrial dynamics and host defense, however, the role of septins in regulated cell death is mostly unknown. Here, we discover that septins promote mitochondrial (i.e., intrinsic) apoptosis in response to treatment with staurosporine (a pan-kinase inhibitor) or etoposide (a DNA topoisomerase inhibitor). Consistent with a role for septins in mitochondrial dynamics, septins promote the release of mitochondrial protein cytochrome c in apoptotic cells and are required for the proteolytic activation of caspase-3, caspase-7, and caspase-9 (core components of the apoptotic machinery). Apoptosis of HeLa cells induced in response to infection by S. flexneri ΔgalU (a lipopolysaccharide mutant unable to block apoptosis) is also septin-dependent. In vivo, zebrafish larvae are significantly more susceptible to infection with S. flexneri ΔgalU (as compared to infection with wildtype S. flexneri), yet septin deficient larvae are equally susceptible to infection with S. flexneri ΔgalU and wildtype S. flexneri. These data provide a new molecular framework to understand the complexity of mitochondrial apoptosis and its ability to combat bacterial infection

The Host Scaffolding Protein Filamin A and the Exocyst Complex Control Exocytosis during InlB-Mediated Entry of Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne bacterium that causes gastroenteritis, meningitis, or abortion. Listeria induces its internalization (entry) into some human cells through interaction of the bacterial surface protein InlB with its host receptor, the Met tyrosine kinase. InlB and Met promote entry, in part, through stimulation of localized exocytosis. How exocytosis is upregulated during entry is not understood. Here, we show that the human signaling proteins mTOR, protein kinase C-α (PKC-α), and RalA promote exocytosis during entry by controlling the scaffolding protein Filamin A (FlnA). InlB-mediated uptake was accompanied by PKC-α-dependent phosphorylation of serine 2152 in FlnA. Depletion of FlnA by RNA interference (RNAi) or expression of a mutated FlnA protein defective in phosphorylation impaired InlB-dependent internalization. These findings indicate that phosphorylation of FlnA by PKC-α contributes to entry. mTOR and RalA were found to mediate the recruitment of FlnA to sites of InlB-mediated entry. Depletion of PKC-α, mTOR, or FlnA each reduced exocytosis during InlB-mediated uptake. Because the exocyst complex is known to mediate polarized exocytosis, we examined if PKC-α, mTOR, RalA, or FlnA affects this complex. Depletion of PKC-α, mTOR, RalA, or FlnA impaired recruitment of the exocyst component Exo70 to sites of InlB-mediated entry. Experiments involving knockdown of Exo70 or other exocyst proteins demonstrated an important role for the exocyst complex in uptake of Listeria Collectively, our results indicate that PKC-α, mTOR, RalA, and FlnA comprise a signaling pathway that mobilizes the exocyst complex to promote infection by Listeria

The Association Between Ambient Temperatures and Hospital Admissions Due to Respiratory Diseases in the Capital City of Vietnam

This study aimed to examine the short-term effects of ambient temperature on hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases among Hanoi residents. We collected 34,653 hospital admissions for 365 days (November 1, 2017, to November 31, 2018) from two hospitals in Hanoi. A quasi-Poisson regression model with time series analysis was used to explore the temperature-health outcome relationship's overall pattern. The non-linear curve indicated the temperatures with the lowest risk range from 22 degrees (Celcius) to 25 degrees (Celcius). On average, cold temperatures showed a higher risk than hot temperatures across all genders and age groups. Hospital admissions risk was highest at 13 degrees (Celcius) (RR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.26–1.54) for cold effects and at 33 degrees (Celcius) (RR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.04–1.39) for the hot effects. Temporal pattern analysis showed that the most effect on respiratory diseases occurred at a lag of 0 days for hot effect and at a lag of 1 day for cold effect. The risk of changing temperature among women and people over 5 years old was higher than other groups. Our results suggest that the risk of respiratory admissions was greatest when the temperature was low. Public health prevention programs should be enhanced to improve public awareness about the health risks of temperature changes, especially respiratory diseases risked by low temperatures

CSA: Thực hành nông nghiệp thông minh với khí hậu ở Việt Nam

During the last five years, Vietnam has been one of the countries most affected by climate change. Severe typhoons, flooding, cold spells, salinity intrusion, and drought have affected agriculture production across the country, from upland to lowland regions. Fortunately for Vietnam, continuous work in developing climate-smart agriculture has been occurring in research organizations and among innovative farmers and entrepreneurs. Application of various CSA practices and technologies to adapt to the impact of climate change in agriculture production have been expanding. However, there is a need to accelerate the scaling process of these practices and technologies in order to ensure growth of agriculture production and food security, increase income of farmers, make farming climate resilient, and contribute to global climate change mitigation. This book aims to provide basic information to researchers, managers, and technicians and extentionists at different levels on what CSA practices and technologies can be up scaled in different locations in Vietnam

Physical therapy for sleep apnea: a smartphone application for home-based physical therapy for patients with obstructive sleep apnea

PurposeIn this study, we described “PT for Sleep Apnea”, a smartphone application for home-based physical therapy of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).MethodsThe application was created in a joint program between the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP), Vietnam, and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan. Exercises maneuvers were derived from the exercise program previously published by the partner group at National Cheng Kung University. They included exercises for upper airway and respiratory muscle training and general endurance training.ResultsThe application provides video and in-text tutorials for users to follow at home and a schedule function to assist the user in organizing the training program, which may improve the efficacy of home-based physical therapy in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.ConclusionIn the future, our group plans to conduct a user study and randomized-controlled trials to investigate whether our application can benefit patients with OSA

Risk Factors of Streptococcus suis Infection in Vietnam. A Case-Control Study

Background: Streptococcus suis infection, an emerging zoonosis, is an increasing public health problem across South East Asia and the most common cause of acute bacterial meningitis in adults in Vietnam. Little is known of the risk factors underlying the disease. Methods and Findings: A case-control study with appropriate hospital and matched community controls for each patient was conducted between May 2006 and June 2009. Potential risk factors were assessed using a standardized questionnaire and investigation of throat and rectal S. suis carriage in cases, controls and their pigs, using real-time PCR and culture of swab samples. We recruited 101 cases of S. suis meningitis, 303 hospital controls and 300 community controls. By multivariate analysis, risk factors identified for S. suis infection as compared to either control group included eating "high risk" dishes, including such dishes as undercooked pig blood and pig intestine (OR1 = 2.22; 95% CI = [1.15-4.28] and OR2 = 4.44; 95% CI = [2.15-9.15]), occupations related to pigs (OR1 = 3.84; 95% CI = [1.32-11.11] and OR2 = 5.52; 95% CI = [1.49-20.39]), and exposures to pigs or pork in the presence of skin injuries (OR1 = 7.48; 95% CI = [1.97-28.44] and OR2 = 15.96; 95% CI = [2.97-85.72]). S. suis specific DNA was detected in rectal and throat swabs of 6 patients and was cultured from 2 rectal samples, but was not detected in such samples of 1522 healthy individuals or patients without S. suis infection. Conclusions: This case control study, the largest prospective epidemiological assessment of this disease, has identified the most important risk factors associated with S. suis bacterial meningitis to be eating 'high risk' dishes popular in parts of Asia, occupational exposure to pigs and pig products, and preparation of pork in the presence of skin lesions. These risk factors can be addressed in public health campaigns aimed at preventing S. suis infectio

An open label randomized controlled trial of tamoxifen combined with amphotericin B and fluconazole for cryptococcal meningitis

Background: Cryptococcal meningitis has high mortality. Flucytosine is a key treatment but is expensive and rarely available. The anti-cancer agent tamoxifen has synergistic anti-cryptococcal activity with amphotericin in vitro. It is off-patent, cheap, and widely available. We performed a trial to determine its therapeutic potential. Methods:Open label randomized controlled trial. Participants received standard care - amphotericin combined with fluconazole for the first two weeks - or standard care plus tamoxifen 300mg/day. The primary end point was Early Fungicidal Activity (EFA) - the rate of yeast clearance from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Trial registration https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03112031 . Results: 50 patients were enrolled, (median age 34 years, 35 male). Tamoxifen had no effect on EFA (- 0.48log10 colony-forming units/mL/CSF control arm versus -0.49 tamoxifen arm, difference - 0.005log10CFU/ml/day, 95%CI: -0.16, 0.15, P=0.95). Tamoxifen caused QTc prolongation. Conclusion: High dose tamoxifen does not increase the clearance rate of Cryptococcus from CSF. Novel, affordable therapies are needed. Funding:The trial was funded through the Wellcome Trust Asia Programme Vietnam Core Grant 106680 and a Wellcome Trust Intermediate Fellowship to JND grant number WT097147MA

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead